Philippines' Duterte orders graft probe across state agencies

MANILA, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Philippine President Rodrigo
Duterte said on Tuesday he had ordered the justice ministry to
launch a sweeping investigation into graft across all government
agencies, conceding that his country continued to be "plagued
with corruption."
In 2016, Duterte won the presidency campaigning on a promise
to fight corruption, crime and illegal drugs.
But his administration has been dogged by scandals and
allegations of graft and cover-ups in state agencies ranging
from prisons, the state insurer, immigration, airports and
customs, to police and the drugs enforcement agency, few of
which led to convictions or high-profile resignations.
Duterte on Tuesday issued a memorandum directing the
justice ministry to look into anomalies at state agencies until
the end of his term in 2022. It gives the ministry the power to
decide what allegations to investigate and to work with other
agencies.
"This country continues to be plagued with corruption,"
Duterte said in a televised national address. "Up to now, it is
not weakening, it is getting stronger," he said, vowing to focus
his remaining term on fighting corruption.
The Philippines fell 14 notches to 113th spot among 180
countries in Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions
Index last year.
Duterte is not eligible for re-election, but fulfilling his
campaign pledge on corruption could help the chances of his
chosen successor in the 2022 elections.
The justice secretary vowed on Tuesday his ministry would
work with other government agencies on investigations.
"It will help us a lot if government workers themselves and
the people they deal with would come forward and provide us the
necessary information to uncover corrupt activities and identify
the perpetrators," Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra told
reporters.
($1 = 48.4220 Philippine pesos)